UNDERSTANDING CUT VEST FUNCTION

[Black Gold]

I recently had a conversation with a customer who's dog suffered a cut to the chest while wearing one of our cut vests.  The wound was fixable and the dog is fine, but the customer was very upset that his dog got cut.  He couldn't understand how his dog was cut while wearing a vest......

Here I go:

The best comparison for cut vests I can make is to talk about bullet-proof vests and police officers.  A cop wears a bullet proof vest, but actually the vest is not bullet-proof at all.  It can stop some handgun rounds, but all magnum rounds, rifle rounds, and even 22LR rounds can go through it like paper.  The vests cops wear offer a certain level of protection while at the same time allowing the officer to remain functional.  Sure, a cop could wear 2 flack jackets designed for SWAT and probaly stop most rounds out there, but he couldn't move or run or even get in and out of a car with over 100 pounds of vest on.  That's where the balance of protection vs. functionality comes into play.  The vest has to provide protection, but not to the point where it prohibits or restricts movement.

CUT VESTS:

Let me begin by saying that NO cut vests are CUT-PROOF!  They provide different levels of protection (depending on material used and design) but at the same time allow the dog to function at the highest level possible. (movement, speed, flexibility)  They are designed to protect vital areas of a dog from puncture, slash, and blunt force wounds that hogs and their tusks can deliver.  This does not mean that they are cut proof.....They are cut resistant......Under the right cirmcustances any cloth material can be pucntured or cut.  We have done tests on multiple layers of Kevlar, nylon, poly weaves, cordura, wet felt, leather, and more.....ALL are capable of being cut thru under the right circumstances.  At Wild Boar USA/Ugly Dog Ranch we have chose combinations of material that we feel offer the highest level of cut resistance while at the same time allowing proper movement. 

Unless I weld a suit or armor I cannot offer a cut proof vest.  I have even purchased some material that is over $200 a yard and has 10 times the cut resistance of kevlar, but even if I used it in a vest I still wouldn't be able to call it cut proof.....Why?...because it can be cut thru under the right circumstances.

Bottom line is this:  Cut Vests offer protection to a hunting dog.  We have received hundreds of calls from customers thanking us for our products and telling us how they have saved their dog's life.  This is from our $79.00 vest up to our $175.00 vest......Have our vests ever been cut thru....Sure they have! 

I asked the customer this:  Would your dog still be alive if he wasn't wearing our cut vest?  The answer was "NO"......

Everyday I am trying to come up with new ways to increase cut protection......I love opinions and ideas from those who want to share........We strive to protect your dogs and I run the exact same gear I sell on my dogs and put my faith in it.....Accidents do happen, but we work hard to keep your dog out of harms way.

I appreciate everyone's business.  Thank You!

[jdt]

once a guy invented an acid that would eat through anything,  it was a failure........ he couldnt find anything to use for a container!

if you made a material that couldnt be cut how would you make a vest out of it? (wink)

some people are gonna complain no matter what.

[buddylee]

Some people don't have a brain. I have an ugly dog vest from a few years ago and it has taken a beating with just one poke thru in the neck area. Some vests are better than others. All we can do is buy the vests that best suits our needs.

[DAC]

Cody I got the call from the same customer about what had happened today. I don't know exactly what happened since I wasn't on this hunt but I can assure you it wasn't for lack of any effort on his part to get to the hog. The hog by the way weighed 335 and had 3in. teeth. The first ? I asked was how bad were the cuts and if any of them were underneath the arms(that's where mine usually get them,the hog rakes them under the shoulder hole) and no the hog didn't do this so I'll wait to see the vest tom. when we hunt to make any conclusions about the vest. I was the one who recommemded the vest and for now still stand by it,(sinced that is all I have run on my dogs for the last 3 yrs). I take pics and e-mail them to you and maybe we can come up with something. 
by the way I have seen the vest get poked through and have yet to have to stitch or staple any of those wounds.
regards DAC

[Black Gold]

DAC,

I'm not pointing this at anyone and not mad or upset at all.  It's just hard to explain things in general to people in a few seconds over the phone or when they are in the shop and picking up a vest.  For me to type it allows me to state things clearly and allows people to think and discuss. 
I just typed this to make people think about everything.....

I've had 2 simmilar conversations over the last week and I was speaking on both of them at once.....A lot of my vests hit the woods in January and see TONS of action......I just want people to know that there are no guarantees and we do everything we know how to do to make sure your dogs are protected.

I take dogs getting injured personally.....From the aspect of me wanting to do something better to help more.....In the end it is hunting and I have to understand that things sometimes go wrong.....

[jhy]

I dont know how you keep from laughing at someone who comes in and complains about that.   There isnt a bullet proof vest that I know of that will stop a blade, muchless a cutvest that will stop a sharp piece of ivory.  The function of a cutvest in my understanding is to keep the tusk from ripping gapping holes.  Basically minimize it to a poke.

Joey